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New discount retailer catering to party and special occasions

Posted: Sunday, October 15, 2000

The newly opened Party City store in Athens represents the newest addition to the largest franchise group associated with the New Jersey-based paper goods and party supply corporation, according Dick LoPresti.

LoPresti and partner Frank Buonanotte own the franchise operation, Party City of Atlanta Inc., which operates 20 Party City stores around the state, mostly in and around Atlanta and Northeast Georgia. Their 20-store franchise group is part of the New Jersey Party City's 400-store national family which comprises 200 company stores and 200 franchise operations.

In 1998, the U.S. Small Business Administration named Party City of Atlanta Inc. as the Entrepreneurial Success for the Southeast region for a successful transition from a small to a large business with SBA assistance. Buonanotte started the first store in Atlanta in 1991, and by 1998, a 12-store company employed 450 people and boasted sales of more than $25 million.

The Party City of Atlanta franchise's Athens store is located at 3660 Atlanta Highway in the Athens Promenade shopping center and is situated between Chuck E. Cheese's and Bed, Bath & Beyond. Encompassing about 11,000 square feet, the Athens' site is a standard Party City store. LoPresti said Party City pursues the ''super store'' concept and operates locations that ''are two to four times the size of typical party goods stores.''

A Party City operation stocks paper goods and supplies for parties and special occasions. Plastic cups, paper plates, napkins, balloons, crepe streamers, greeting cards, catering supplies, party favors, wedding accessories and even costumes are available.

Athens store manager Reimonda Holmes, who worked for LoPresti and Buonanotte in their Augusta store for a year-and-a-half, said the store stocks merchandise for every special occasion and holiday. She stated that Party City goods vary in price from items that cost as little as 6 cents to a fog maker that costs nearly $300.

Holmes indicated that Party City stores carry a great deal of general party supplies year round, and always have on hand items such as luau kits with grass skirts and leis, and kits with red, white and blue motifs. But the stores also focus on seasonal themes, which often generate healthy sales. ''We have an overwhelming Halloween business,'' she said. ''Halloween here is like Christmas anywhere else.''

Employees at Party City try to get into the spirit for Halloween, too, Holmes added. ''For the weekends during October the employees will dress in costume, and the whole last week before Halloween we will be in costume,'' she said.